Method and means for applying motive power to vehicles



J. G. BARNSDALE. I METHOD AND MEANS FOR APPLYING MOTIVE POWER TO VEHICLES.

AFPUCATION FILED APR- 7. I9 2].

Patented Apr. 25, 192 2.

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METHOD AND MEANS FOR APPLYING iyrotrrv n rowan To v ii-iron es. f

1,413,955. Specification of Application med April 7,

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, JOHN G. B'ARNSDALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Superior, in'the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means for Applying Motive Power to Vehicles, of which I do declare the. following to be a specification. v

My invention relates to automobiles, and has for its object the provision of an improved method andmeans of applying motive power to the drive wheels. It consists of the structures, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. v

In the drawings, F ig. 1 is a top plan view,

' i partly in horizontal section on the line AB ofFi'g. 3, of the chassis of an automobile embodying my said invention. Fig, 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation'of said automo-j bile, and Fig. 3 is aside'elevationpartly in diagram and partly in section on the line C-D,ofFig.

In the drawings, l'isthe frame of thevehicle, including a tubular rear axle l mount: ed upon the drive Vwheels l Saidfrear axle is adapted to contain, or operate, in

part, as the piston cylinder or cylinders X of one or two reciprocating steam engines of any suitable structure positioned in said axle intermediate of the ends thereof. Said engines are oppositely positioned and each of them is adapted to operate a different one of the supporting rear drive wheels of the automobile. Said engines are similar and only one of them will therefore be extensively described in detail. Included in such engine is a piston 2, a piston rod 2, a crosshead 2, a connecting rod 2,a crank shaft 2, and a gear 2 which gear is keyed to said crankshaft near the end of said axle and is adapted to mesh with a gear 3 secured to the adjacent drive wheel 1.

Formed in said axle is a valve chamber for the valve 4, for the corresponding engine.

, oiprocable eccentric shaft 5 intermediate of the ends thereof. One end of said eccentric shaft is iournalled on an eccentric, or crank arm 1 on said crank shaft, and the opposite end of said eccentric arm is pivotally mountfrom said throttle valve valves through any suitable 1921. Serial no. 459,342

Letters Patent Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

gear pinion 7 engages one of said reversing gears and r.

is keyed to a shaft 7 is there connected in any suitable manner, or by any su table transmission means, with an operat ng'hand wheel 7 positioned onv g V which extends to a position ad acent to the-steering wheel and be I 7 0 the dash board opposite the "drivers seat.j*

It will be observed that the operation of said hand wheel and I reverse gear pinion will cause the partial rotation of said reverse gears 6, thus turning'sflidguidestoca difier- 'ent inclination or *direction, which willie p crate to change the degree of inclination ofsaid eccentric rod and cause it to change the) elevation of saidvval've stem cranks-whereby reversed, or the adthevalve will be either omission partly cut ofi, or, further openeda's the case maybe, according to the prior position of the valve and said guides are turned.

vthe degree to which The exhaust from said-piston'cylinders is carried forward, by. any suitable exhaust con uit, as 8,.to'. and through a turbine engine 9 of any suitable construction and theiihce, as by a pipe 8 (partly broken away), to e ward end of said automobile, whence, in condensed form, it flows through any suitable conductor as pipe 8 to the Water supply tank 8 radiator or condenser 8 at the for- V Said turbine is adapted to operate an electric generator 10 and an air compressor 11,

and, preferably, an auxilliary drive12 of any suitable'structure for driving one of the front supporting wheels 13 of said vehicle.

steam generator 14 of any suitable structure provides steam for said.

ers seat, said steam flowing.

reciprocating engines through a throttle valve 15 of any suitable structure positioned near-the drivfrom said gene-.

rator to said throttle valve through any suitable channels, as through the pipe 14 and chambers, valves, pipes or other or additional tors, as through the chambers 16 and 17, and

to said-cylinder forms of conduc pipes 18 and 19. Said throttle valve is preferably operated by a lever l5 near the top to work loose, and results in a considerable saving of weight, which is partially utilized for material improvement of other features. The structure is simple, effective and durable, and the repair and maintenance costs reduced to a minimum.

What I claim is 1. The method of applying motive power to vehicles, which consists in locating a reciprocating engine within the rear axle of the vehicle, gearing the same to one of the rear supporting wheels, locating a turbine engine near the forward end of said vehicle and gearingthe same to one of the forward supporting wheels, said turbinebeing adapted to be driven by exhaust steam from said reciprocating engine.

V 2. The combination with a vehicle provided with a rear axle and rear supporting wheels, of a reciprocating steam engine car ried by said axle, the piston cylinder forming part of said engine being adapted to also form part of said axle, said engine being geared to one of said wheels, said engine. in-

cluding an intake valve, a cut-off and reverse gear for said valve, and an eccentric gear for operating said valve. R

3. The combination with a vehicle provided with a rear axle and rear supporting wheels, of two reciprocating steam engines carried by said axle, the piston cylinders forming parts of said englnes being adapted to also form parts of said axle, said englnes being geared to opposite ones of saidrear wheelsrespectively, each of said engines including an intake valve, a cut-off and reversing gear, and an eccentric gear-for 'opcrating said valve.

4. The combination with a vehlcle havlng a rear axle, rear supporting wheels, a body frame and front-su ortin wheels of a steam engine located within and upon said rear axle, the piston cylindenof said engine being-contained within said axle, said engine being geared to one of sald rear wheels,

a steam generator positioned near the front 7 frame and front supporting wheels, of two reci Jrocatin steam en ines carried b said rear axle and geared to'the opposite rear supporting Wheels respectively, a steam tur bine mounted on said frame, said turbine being adapted to be geared toone of said front supporting wheels, a steam generator carried by said vehicle, means for conducting live steam'from said-generator-to each of said first two engines, means for conveying exhaust steam from either or both of said first two engines to said turbine, and a throttle valve for governing the flow of steam from said generator to the said first two engines.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix'm-y signature, in presence of two witnesses;

, JOHN G. BARNSDALE.

lVitnesses i E. L. FoeonTY, E. E. RINGDAHL. 

